The Palace at Vizima seemed like it was much larger since she'd last stepped into the hollowed halls of it's main room, but Yennefer was a woman bent on seeing everything she set her mind to come to fruition, and this was one task that she was quite determined to see through, so she pressed on through the same path she'd once taken herself as Palace Sorceress. When she came to her old study in the grand building, she knocked heavily on the door, which opened in response. Yen made her way through to the back room, stopped in the doorway, and made her appearance known.
"Yes Yennefer… What can I do for you?" The sorceress questioned without turning to face her audience.
"I need your assistance." Yennefer replied, not once removing her gaze from the other woman's back.
"Really? Mine? I thought you wanted nothing more to do with me, especially after our little falling out at the Lodge." The other woman allowed the distrust in her voice to come full bloom, bringing a sigh from Yennefer.
"Philippa, you know I wouldn't be here if I didn't need your help. I gladly left Vizima so that you could take over as Sorceress of the Palace. I'm not here to take that away from you." Yennefer paused and took a breath to steady her racing heart, "I'm here because I need your help." She allowed the words to fall from her lips and watched as the other woman straightened and turned to face her.
"What could Yennefer of Vengerberg possibly need my help with?" Philippa asked, arms crossed over her chest. Yennefer noted that Philippa was no longer the blind sorceress that she had been before, so she assumed that she'd been able to perform the same magic that Vilgefortz had once used to restore his own vision.
"Hmm… How do I possibly begin to explain…" Yennefer began to pace across the floor, mind racing to find the right words to answer Philippa.
"Don't pace a hole into the floor. I won't be the one to explain that to Emhyr if you do." Philippa commented with a sigh as she watched Yennefer pace before her.
"Well, to put it quite simply, I believe I've finally found a way to reverse my infertility, as well as Geralt's. I acquired a very specific set of plants and herbs that work in conjunction to bypass any magical blocks that have made both sorceresses and Witchers infertile. Of course, no hypothesis is complete without experimentation, so I put it to the test. It took almost a month to travel here from Toussaint because I am constantly drained of magic, and there was no way I would have been able to travel by portal. I need your magical ability to sustain what is only a possible pregnancy at this point. But, I fear that I will need the whole Lodge to help as well, since I wouldn't expect you to be able to help for any length of time due to your own time constraints." Yennefer explained, not once meeting Philippa's eyes.
"Hold on… You believe that you could be pregnant? Is that what you're telling me?" Philippa questioned, confusion evident in her voice.
"Yes. And I came to you for conformation and assistance. But if that's not possible for you to do, I will seek out the Lodge, though I'm sure Triss would be far less eager to see me than you were." Yennefer spoke, her voice cold and calm as she gazed over at Philippa.
"Well, this changes things… Of course, I will do what I can, but eventually the Lodge will need to be brought into this." Philippa said as she moved from the table to stand before Yennefer.
"As I had expected…" Yennefer sighed, pinching the bridge of her nose in frustration.
"But, until that time comes, you are welcome to stay here. I will do what I can to support your need for magic, and I will do whatever I can to confirm your theory." Philippa spoke, her tone much friendlier than when Yennefer had first arrived, before she made her way back to her desk.
"Thank you, Philippa." Yennefer exhaled as she seated herself in the corner near the bookshelves.
"Think nothing of it." Philippa replied as she focused her attention back on the papers that lined her desk.
"Good, good. Your form is much better than when we sparred last week. Let's call it a night." Geralt called as he lowered his practice sword to his side.
"Already? We've only been at it for two hours!" Ciri called back, hand on her hip with a smirk on her face. "Are you aging that quickly in your retirement?" She asked with a laugh as she walked over to Geralt.
"Very funny young lady. Just remember who taught you everything you know about being a Witcher. And it wasn't just Vesemir, mind you." Geralt replied as he returned the sword to its rightful place on the rack he'd bought for Corvo Bianco.
"Ahhh… Uncle Vesemir… How I miss him." Ciri mumbled as she stood next to Geralt, grasping the Wolf medallion on her neck. Geralt wrapped his arm around her shoulders and pulled her close.
"I know, little one. I know." He whispered gently just before she wrapped her arms around his neck. He held her tighter as she began to tremble with unshed tears.
"It's been so long…" She whispered as she fought back the tears that threatened to spill down her cheeks.
"Ciri, it's okay. You can cry." Geralt reassured as he gently rubbed the younger woman's back.
Ciri held tighter to his neck as the tears began to fall. She thought back to that day, so many years ago now, when Vesemir gave his life for hers. How she'd lost total control of herself and her abilities with the shock and anguish that followed his death. At his funeral pyre that night, it became an unspoken agreement that none of them would bring up his death, as if to make it seem like it had never happened. She had preferred it that way, imagining that he was so busy with the upkeep of Kaer Morhen that he hadn't had the time to get in touch with her or the others, and she had become okay with that. She had held tight to that fantasy as a way of coping with his absence in her life. Now, it was as if the world was crumbling under her feet all over again. This time, she had more control of her abilities, but the dull ache turned to full blown searing pain. Her chest burned as she cried, and eventually those small hiccupping cries turned to sobs. Geralt led her inside and brought her upstairs to her room. He sat down on her bed with her and held her close, letting her let go of all of the pain that she'd held on to for so many years.
"Shhh shhh… It's okay Ciri… It's okay." He whispered as he gently rocked her in his arms.
"Dad… It's not okay…" Ciri mumbled as she clung tighter to Geralt. He felt his own heart breaking at his daughter's words.
"Remember little one. No Witcher dies old in his bed. Vesemir knew that better than any of us. He knew what he was doing when he agreed to protect you. We all did. He gave his life so that you could continue to live yours." Geralt spoke gently as he held Ciri close to him.
Eventually her sobs returned to hiccups and sniffles, and he gently pulled away to look into her eyes. Those emerald eyes, once so full of wonder and surprise, now held an old soul behind them. She had grown so much over the years, and with her ability to travel between worlds, that she had aged immensely within that time. Geralt brushed her hair from her face, then cupped her cheeks in his hands.
"You were so special to him. He would have died a thousand times over if it meant that you were protected. You know that." He whispered as he looked into her eyes.
"Yes… I do…" She whispered back, her voice small and uncertain of itself.
"And I would do the same… Always… You've always been my little girl, Ciri. Nothing will ever change that." Geralt whispered as he brought her back into another hug.
Ciri held tightly to his neck again, feeling like the little girl from Kaer Morhen who clung to both Geralt and Vesemir, and threw snowballs at Lambert in the winter because he hates the cold, and who practiced with Eskel when Geralt was working with Vesemir on the Path. This was her heart's place, with Geralt and Yennefer. As much as she wanted to continue on the Path, she knew that she would always come back here, to a home. To a family. To her family. The thought brought comfort to her, and she relaxed easily when she separated from Geralt.
"There… All better." He commented as he gently wiped away the tears from her cheeks.
"This is home… Would…. Would it be all right if I stayed?" Ciri asked, eyes sparkling with a child's curiosity.
"Would I ever deny you? And how quickly do you think Yen would incinerate me if I told you no?" Geralt laughed at the thought, though he knew it was the truth. She'd set him on fire the minute she heard about it.
"True." Ciri laughed as well, "Yennefer… Well I should say mom, would spare no amount of magic if she found that out." Geralt's smile grew when Ciri referred to Yennefer as her mom. It warmed his heart ten-fold to hear that word come from her.
"Well, she hasn't yet written to me… I'm starting to worry." Geralt commented.
"Don't worry… You know her. She's far more dangerous than a few Witch Hunters could handle." Ciri replied.
"Still, without word from her, I can't be sure." Geralt continued.
A knock on the door brought the two out of their conversation. Geralt stood from the bed and made his way back downstairs to the front door. When he opened it, a young boy stood there with a letter in his hands.
"I have a message for you, sir!" He spoke, his voice light and filled with happiness. Geralt took the letter from his outstretched hand and replaced it with 10 Crowns. The smile on the boy's face was practically contagious as Geralt sent him on his way.
He walked back into the foyer and unfolded the letter.
"My Dearest,
I hope that you and Ciri are well. I wanted you to be aware that I am in Vizima for a time, and once I've concluded my business here, I will be heading for Kovir. I apologize that it has taken so long for me to write, but I've only recently settled, and dispatched this letter as soon as I could.
I think of you daily, dream of you nightly, and miss you terribly.
Give Ciri my love, as I give you mine. I will come home as soon as I can.
Your Yen."
Geralt held the letter close to his heart; the scent of lilac and gooseberry bringing comfort to him as he stood in the foyer. She was safe, and she was in Vizima. That was enough for him for the time being. Soon, she would go to Kovir, and then she would be home. He could live with that at least. Ciri came downstairs as soon as the door had closed, and she watched as Geralt gently refolded the letter and held it to his chest.
"Is that from mom?" She finally asked as she walked towards him.
"Yes… She's in Vizima and she sends her love." Geralt replied as he brought the letter to his room and set it on the desk near the door.
"Vizima? Whatever for?" Ciri questioned, eyebrows knitted in confusion.
"She didn't say, just that she was there, and that she would be heading to Kovir eventually before she came home." Geralt replied, equally confused that Yen had been so brief in her message.
"I'm sure she has a reason, but I'm failing to see it." Ciri sighed as she thought of any probable reason for Yennefer to be in Vizima, knowing full well that she had stepped down from her position and given it to Philippa. "You don't suppose she's working with Philippa, do you?"
"Why would she? As far as I know, Philippa wouldn't give Yen the time of day. I doubt that's the case." Geralt replied.
"Hmm… Right. They haven't liked each other for years. Or at least that's what I've been told." Ciri replied.
"Says she's settled in, and there's no mention of any trouble. I also know her well enough. She doesn't want to worry me. Until she says something, I'll have to sit by and let her handle whatever it is she's doing." Geralt sighed.
"But what if there's something really wrong? What if she's being held to get to me?" Ciri asked, her voice tinted with fear for her adoptive mother.
"Ciri, the only people who know you are alive are Yen and myself. Emhyr believes that you're dead, because that's what I told him. None in the Lodge know that you're even alive, unless they've been keeping watch for your ability, and I doubt they've put much thought into that." Geralt commented.
"It's not like I use my abilities all that much in between contracts. But my control is much better from all of the practice that I've been getting in." Ciri replied.
"Well, for now, I'm okay with knowing that Yen is settled and okay. Let's settle in and have dinner." Geralt said as he made his way towards the kitchen.
"You don't know how to cook!" Ciri laughed as she followed her father into the small space.
"You'd be surprised what I've learned in the last few years." Geralt chuckled as he made his way towards the shelves along the back wall.
"We'll see. I'm helping though." Ciri had the brightest smile on her face as she stood next to Geralt, who had agreed with a smirk.
Yennefer woke to the morning light filtering in through the large bay windows in what was currently serving as her bedroom. Emhyr had been more than hospitable when she had arrived nearly a month earlier, and Philippa had grown more accustomed to her presence in the Palace. Yennefer sat up and leaned against the pillows, rubbing the sleep from her eyes as the sunlight began to warm her exposed skin. She untangled her legs from the sheets and stood from the bed, stretching the stiffness from her limbs before going to the closet and picking out her outfit for the day. As she finished lacing up the front of her blouse, a knock sounded at the door.
"Yes? What is it?" Yennefer asked as she turned towards the door.
"Miss Eilhart requests your presences ma'am." Came the voice of a young man, possibly one of Philippa's many assistants that she'd requested.
"I'll be there soon." Yen replied as she tucked her loose hair behind her ear.
The sound of footsteps retreating from the room echoed down the hallway, and Yen breathed a small sigh of relief. She stood tall once again, but a sudden wave of nausea hit her like a blast from Aard. She ran to the empty tub and heaved until her throat was raw, and her stomach was empty of its contents. She grabbed the cloth that was hanging over the side of the tub and wiped her lips, then leaned against the metal to cool down. Not five minutes later, there was a new set of pounding at the door.
"Just a moment…" Yen called out, her voice still strained from her retching.
"Yennefer? I'm coming in." It was Philippa. Yen almost sighed in relief when she heard the other woman's voice.
The doors clicked open, and Yen locked eyes with the other woman as she stepped in through the threshold. If Philippa felt any concern for the raven-haired sorceress, she didn't let it show on her face, but her actions spoke loud enough for Yennefer. Philippa came to her side and placed the back of her hand against Yen's forehead, checking her temperature. When she noted that Yennefer's skin temperature felt normal, she helped her stand back on her feet, and lead her back over to her bed, where she gently lowered Yennefer down onto the side. Philippa sat next to her.
"What happened?" She asked, with a voice that showed mild concern.
"I was fine, then this sudden wave of nausea just hit me out of nowhere. I suppose it's morning sickness." Yennefer commented as she closed her eyes to stop the spinning of the room.
"The whole reason I'd sent one of my assistants to fetch you, was so I could run some tests. Your body clearly has had time to adjust, and now is as good of a time as any to begin checking for the possibility of a child." Philippa spoke, her voice was strong and confident as she watched Yennefer take deep breaths to steady herself, but she still shivered. "Yennefer, are you all right?"
"Ugh… I'm freezing…" Yen breathed with a shaky voice. She wrapped her arms around herself.
"Here… Let me help you." Philippa whispered as she walked over to the closet, grabbed one of Yen's robes, and draped it over Yennefer's shoulders when she came back over.
"Thank you. I appreciate it." Yen whispered as she pulled her robe tighter around her body.
"Do you want me to run these tests today?" Philippa questioned as she watched Yen slowly begin to stop trembling.
"Yes… The longer I wait, the more I prolong the inevitable." Yen sighed, her breathing a bit more composed as she spoke.
"Do you still plan to go to the Lodge if I am unable to help you?" Philippa questioned. Before she knew what she was doing, she had taken hold of Yennefer's hand in her own.
"If you're not able to help me, I don't have any other choice Philippa…" Yen choked out, her voice breaking as she said Philippa's name. Philippa gently squeezed her hand.
"Yennefer… I've known you too long to watch the strong, independent sorceress I know, reduce herself to crying because she's hit a block. You usually blast any blocks to rubble and press onwards. What's stopping you now?"
"Philippa, this isn't just a block in my studies, or a block in my relationship. This is new life that I am trying to keep. New life that I am trying to protect. New life that I intend to keep alive."
"I suppose that I don't understand, as I've never been in this position before. I've raised princes and taught young sorceresses over the years, but I've never had a child of my own. But please Yen… Do not fold in so easily. I am here to help you however I can. And if I can't do that on my own, I will not allow you to go to the Lodge by yourself. I will go with you." Philippa reassured as she turned Yen's gaze to her own.
"But what about the Palace? What about your duties to the court? I can't drag you away from that. Not when it took so long for you to get back to that position." Yen retorted, eyes glowing with intensity. Philippa smiled as she looked at the woman before her.
"See? There's the Yennefer that I know. There's the familiar fire in your eyes. That suits you more than tears do." Philippa commented as she stood from the bed. "Come on, lets get these tests underway."
Yennefer slowly stood from the bed, with Philippa's assistance, and walked with the other woman down the hallway to her lab. Philippa, wanted to keep Yen's mind clear, asked her questions about Toussaint, and how things were going with Geralt, and if she was bored with her retirement from Palace life. Yen replied honestly, that Toussaint was wonderful, if a bit warm. Geralt was a truly wonderful lover, and he cared for her immensely, and how much it hurt him that she had left so suddenly. And as far as her retirement went, she enjoyed having more time to devote to her studies, as opposed to when she was working in the Palace for Emhyr. Philippa then asked how she felt about Ciri, not knowing that the young woman was alive and well. Yennefer, of course, knew that as well.
"Losing her has been painful for Geralt and I… We get by as we can, but we miss her every day. No one will ever be able to replace her." Yen whispered, eyes glistening in the sunlight as they walked together.
"I'm so sorry… I shouldn't have brought it up." Philippa apologized, thinking that she had touched a wound in Yennefer's heart.
"No… I can't blame you for being curious. Don't apologize." Yen spoke, her voice soft as silk.
Before Philippa could ask anymore questions, or apologize again for her question about Ciri, the two women had reached the laboratory. Philippa glanced over to Yennefer, who merely nodded in return. They made their way into the lab, and Philippa instructed Yen on what she needed the raven-haired sorceress to do. Yen walked to the center of the room, where Philippa had had a bench set out for her and attempted to make herself as comfortable as possible. Philippa, taking the stool near the center of the bench, seated herself and looked to Yennefer.
"Are you ready?" She asked, eyes focused on the other woman before her.
"As I will ever be." Yen replied as she removed her robe from her shoulders.
Philippa gathered up as much magic as she could and saw that Yennefer was no longer maintaining normal levels of control, or essence. In fact, her magic levels were draining slowly over time. She focused more into Yennefer's internal magical reserves and watched as her magic pulsed steadily over the course of each breath. She followed the path of the pulsing from her chest down to her abdomen, and her sight came to rest there. As she gazed at the magic that bubbled in Yennefer's core, she saw a smaller, fainter glow that was pulsing right along with Yen's. She immediately snapped back to focus and turned her gaze to Yen, mouth agape.
"What? What is it?" Yennefer asked as she looked to the other woman. Her brow knitted in confusion, and her voice was tinged with worry. Philippa closed her mouth, cleared her throat, and gently shook her head.
"Yennefer… While I was examining your reserves, I found a smaller, fainter glow that pulsed with your own. It's not a parasite or abnormality, and there's no mistaking it. You're pregnant." Philippa whispered as she looked over to Yennefer with shock written across her face.
"So, my hypothesis was true? It worked?" Yen asked, becoming more and more excited as she thought of it.
"I have to say so. There's no mistaking a child's resonance." Philippa replied as she looked between Yen's face and her abdomen. "Now, I'm curious about how this came to be. Would you mind explaining it to me while you're staying here?"
"In all honesty, it's thanks to Ciri that this came to be. When she would travel between worlds, she would bring me the seeds of plants that had exceptional medicinal properties. She also brought along extensive notes about each one, how to care for them, and how to harvest them. I don't have any of the notes with me, and I don't think I'll be able to teleport for a while, but when I return home you are welcome to copy the notes. I've gathered up a few of the seeds already and preserved them." Yennefer explained, eyes gazing out the window into the blue sky beyond.
"You don't intend to stay long, do you?" It wasn't a question, and Yennefer knew this. She sighed.
"I don't intend to burden you. You're exceptionally busy with the politics of Nilfgaard, providing counsel to Emhyr, and lending your influence over to those around you, that I had never really planned to stay past what was necessary. Besides, do you really believe that Geralt would let me stay here for long? With how much Emhyr detests him over Ciri's death, he believes that that anger will eventually be directed towards me as well." Yennefer confided, eyes cast now to the floor.
"I see…" Philippa whispered as she looked from Yennefer to her desk.
"I can hear the disappointment in your voice. I'm sorry that I can't stay longer, but my welcome here is limited. I know this." Yennefer spoke softly, gently taking Philippa's hand in her own. "Besides, you've already done more than enough for me. More than I was expecting you to, that's for certain. The Lodge is where I will need to be, at least for the time being."
"I will let Rita know that you are on your way to them. And that they will need to make proper accommodations for your condition." Philippa spoke, her voice gaining its original spark.
"Thank you, Philippa. I should be prepared to leave come morning." Yennefer said as she stood from the bench and wrapped her robe around her shoulders again.
"Do get in contact when you arrive. I want to know that you've made it safely."
"You're not the only one. Geralt will want to know as well."
"Well, you've got some packing to see to, and a letter to write home. Don't delay." Philippa said, urging Yen onwards.
Yennefer stepped out of the lab and made her way back down the hallway to her room. She pulled her robe tighter around herself when she felt a cool draft wisp against her skin. She entered the room and made her way to the small desk that sat before the windows and wrote her letter to Geralt. She spritzed a bit of her perfume on the parchment before sealing it to be delivered. Feeling deprived of sleep, she made herself comfortable by dressing down into one of Geralt's old shirts she brought with her. The Sage and Oak blend she'd made for him still lingered in the fibers, and the scent brought her home to him. She laid down, brought the blankets up to her chest, and curled onto her side. Within moments, she'd drifted off into a dream-filled slumber.
